Hard to Believe – John MacArthur

The true gospel is a call to self-denial not self-fulfillment.

Seeker sensitive approach is often a get what you want rather than give up everything gospel.

Luke 9: Deny self, lose your life, take up cross and follow Christ.

The gospel: I give everything to Christ even if it cost me my life.

The gospel is an all or nothing proposition.

The standard that Jesus told: total self-denial even self-hate.

The gospel is going to be offensive to many.

I can’t think of a worse way to "market" the gospel than preaching a crucified Messiah. Christians are given a very tough sell; Jesus the Christ crucified on the cross.

God chose the foolish to put to shame the wise, the weak to put to shame the strong.

What was God thinking; wouldn’t it help to pick powerful and famous people to be our sales reps? The 12 disciples were anything but key influential people. They were 12 ordinary men: fisherman and common workers—they had no influence. God picked clay pots then and he is still picking clay pots today.

The narrow gate is the gate of self-denial and self-sacrifice.

Faith begins when we throw ourselves on his mercy for forgiveness.

"For some the entrance to hell is from the portals of heaven—pseudo-Christianity." John Bunyan

Help us Lord to see ourselves as desperate sinners in need of a savior.

Churches are packed full of people who think they are on their way to heaven and they are terribly self-deluded.

Involved psuedo-Christians; more committed to the church, denomination, social activities than they are to growing in their obedience to God’s word.

Faith minus works equals nothing.

Taking the Lord’s name in vain isn’t swearing. It is claiming Christ as your Lord when he is not really your Lord. Hypocrisy.

Evidence of true Christianity is a life transformed…continually.
There has never yet been a man who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering. Theodore Roosevelt